Article of tableware



Nov. 3, 1942. M. R. HOWARD ARTICLE OF TABLEWARE Filed Aug. 14, 1941,

MHSHALL R HOWARD Patented Nov. 3, 1942 2 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE2,30l0,67l v ARTICLE OF TABLEWARE Marshall R. Howard, New Britain, Conn,assignor to Landers, Frary & Clark, New Britain, Conn, a corporation ofConnecticut Application August 14, 1941, Serial No. 406,750 j 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to articles of tableware and moreparticularly to cutlery utilizing handles of composition material.

As is well known in the manufacture of such cutlery, the metal portionof the article includes a tang which is seated within a bore formed inthe handle. This type of cutlery has met with general public acceptanceexcept when the handle is made of a transparent material. In suchinstances, the tang remains visible and contrasts so sharply with thehandle that the resultant article is unattractive in appearance andnon-acceptable to the purchasing public.

The object of the present invention is to provide cutlery havingtransparent handles and wherein the handle is so constructed as toeffectively and substantially conceal the tang. This is accomplished byso shaping the handle as to cause a refraction or bending of the lightbefore it strikes the tang, thus efiectively concealing same.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more indetail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereafter set forth and the scope of theapplication of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a View of a knife embodying the invention herein;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with th handle partially in crosssection;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the handle prior to the insertion of the tang;

Fig. 4 is an end view after the insertion of the tang; and

Fig. 5 is an edge view of the knife with the handle partly in crosssection to show detail of construction.

Referring to the drawing, the invention is shown as embodied in a knifealthough it is apparent it could be incorporated in any other article oftableware. The knife comprises a metal part A having a blade III, abolster l2, and tang l4, and a handle B of colorless, transparentacetate or other like material. The handle B is provided at one end witha circular bore IS in which the tang is seated. As best seen in Fig. 4,the width of the tang I4 is slightly greater than the diameter of thebore I6, and to permit the assembly 0f the parts, the handle is heatedto expand and open the bore sufliciently to permit the insertion of thetang therein. Thereafter when th handle contracts, it grips the side ofthe tang, rigidly securing the parts together.

As previously stated, when the handles of the tableware are of colorlessacetate or other transparent material, the tang will be visible throughthe handle unless means are utilized for concealing it. In the presentinstance, effective and substantial concealment of the tang isaccomplished by so constructing the handle that light beams which wouldnormally fall onto the tang are bent or refracted prior to reaching thetang. To accomplish this, the bore I6 is provided with longitudinallyextending flutes I8 to define in effect a plurality of circumferential,closely spaced prisms 28. In the embodiment shown, the flutes areV-shaped, resulting in V-shaped prisms, although it is quite apparentthat any suitable shape which would tend to bend the light away from thetang could be used. With this arrangement, when the tang is securedwithin the handle, th light will initially strike the prisms and be bentaway from the tang, and thus substantially no light strikes the tang andreflection therefrom will not occur. As a result, the tang issubstantially concealed and does not detract from th appearance of theimplement.

In addition to the fluted bore I6, the outer surface of the handle mayalso be provided with like flutes 22 to define an outer peripheral wallof closely spaced prisms 24. As best seen in Figs. 1 and 5, these flutesand prisms are coextensive in length with bore l6, resulting in afurther bending or diffusion of the light, further aiding in concealingthe tang and in no way detracting from the outward appearance of thehandle.

As is evident from the foregoing, tableware made in accordance with thisinvention may be inexpensively produced as the only additional operationthat of fluting the handle. This, of course, will be done during themaking of the handle and does not require the necessity of any specialskill or machinery.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and manyapparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be madewithout departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all mattercontained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawirrgshall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

lit is also to be understood that the language used in the followingclaims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features ofthe invention herein described and all statements of the scope oftheinvention which, as a matter of language, might 'be said to falltherebetween.

I claim as my invention:

1. An article of tableware of the character described having a metalportion provided at one end with a tang, a handle of transparentmaterial provided at one end with a bore in which said tang is seated,the inner surface of said bore being fluted to refract or bend the lightprior to its reaching the tang and thereby efiectively concealing thetang.

2. An article of tableware of the character described having a metalportion provided at one end with a tang, a handle of transparentmaterial provided at one end with a bore in which said tang is seated,the inner surface of said bore and.

the outer surface of said handle being fluted to bend the light prior toits reaching the tang and thereby effectively concealing the tang.

3. An article of tableware of the character described comprising a metalpart having a tang, a transparent handle provided at one end with a borein which said tang is seated, said bore being provided withlongitudinally extending V-shaped flutes to define a circumferentialwall of V-shaped prisms to refract or bend the light prior to itsreaching the tang and thereby effectively concealing the tang.

4. In an article of tableware of the character described, a metal partprovided with a tang, a handle of transparent material provided at oneend with a bore in which said tang is seated, said handle having afluted area adjacent the tang to retract or bend the light prior to itsreaching the tang to thereby efiectively conceal the tang.

MARSHALL R. HOWARD.

